Sign the Petition to

Miami City Commissioners, Commissioner Marc Sarnoff

We urge you not to criminalize homelessness in Miami.

You cannot arrest homeless people for participating in "life sustaining activities" - meaning drinking, eating, and sleeping in public. Nor will we allow for you to arrest the homeless if they deny shelters and support. Studies have proven that arresting homeless people will cost the city more than providing them with permanent housing.

We urge you to focus your efforts and finances on finding a supportive, long-term solution.

Signed,

Kev Cam

This petition closed about 3 years ago

How this will help

Could you imagine being arrested for eating a sandwich on the sidewalk of a public street?

What if by lying down in a park to enjoy some sunshine you knew that the police could come and arrest you?

Could you imagine being arrested for eating a sandwich on the sidewalk of a public street?

What if by lying down in a park to enjoy some sunshine you knew that the police could come and arrest you?

A new proposal in Miami regarding these kinds of activities is currently jeopardizing the lives of homeless people in Miami Florida. If passed by city commissioners, the proposal would allow for law enforcement officials to arrest any homeless person who is caught participating in "life-sustaining activities" - eating or sleeping on the street.

This proposal aims to "clean up" the look and feel of Miami, but studies in other cities prove against this strategy: "A 2009 report by The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty and The National Coalition for the Homeless argued that the cost of permanent housing is less than that of criminalizing the typical offenses made by homeless individuals." [1]

There are other ways to combat homelessness that must be recognized and explored. Arrest of homeless individuals is not a long term solution.

We cannot allow for Miami city officials to continue with this ridiculous plan. We must be the voice of reason and stand up for those hundreds of homeless citizens who may not be able to stand up for themselves.